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Classic Keto Shortbread Cookies

4.6 stars, average of 172 ratings

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These keto shortbread cookies are buttery and crunchy, just like the real deal but with none of the sugar and carbs.

They are great on their own, with a cup of coffee, tea, hot chocolate or keto mocha. They also make the perfect base for other desserts and can be used as a cheesecake crust or cookie base in these Keto Twix Bars!

How To Make Keto Shortbread Cookies

To make keto shortbread cookies, you will start by creaming the butter with low-carb sweetener and vanilla. You'll then add the almond flour combined with xanthan gum and salt. Once thick and sticky cookie dough is formed, shape into a long log. Chill to set and then slice into cookies.

To make these cookies crunchy and keep them pale just like traditional shortbread, we will be baking them on a low temperature setting for about 45 minutes. It may seem too low but remember, we are using nut flour which tends to brown a lot faster and contains more fat so we do need low temperature to achieve the best results.

What You Need to Make Keto Shortbread Cookies

Making keto shortbread cookies is really easy! All you need is just six ingredients.

  • Butter or palm shortening (sustainable sources) for a dairy-free option.
  • Low-carb sweetener. To keep these keto shortbread cookies nice and crunchy, make sure to use Erythritol or Erythritol-based sweetener such as Swerve. When making low-carb shortbread cookies, it's really important that you avoid using Allulose. As I tested these myself with Allulose, such cookies would be soft and chewy which you don't want in a shortbread. They are delicious if you want to make chewy cookies but not for a shortbread.
  • Vanilla extract or vanilla bean powder for extra flavor.
  • Almond flour is the best options for crispy shortbread cookies. Do not use coconut flour as the cookies wouldn't crisp up. For a nut-free option you could try using ground sunflower seeds which typically work just as well as almond flour and can be used in the same ratio as almond flour.
  • Xanthan gum will improve the texture of these shortbread cookies as it will replace the missing gluten and eggs. Alternatively, you could swap xanthan gum with twice as much of glucomannan powder which will have similar effects. Xanthan gum can also be skipped although the raw dough may be harder to work with and the cookies will be crumblier.
  • Sea salt is a flavor enhancer that should be included in every cookie recipe! Without a good pinch of sea salt the flavors fall flat and the sweetness can sometimes be overpowering.

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Hands-on Overall

Serving size 1 cookie

Allergy information for Classic Keto Shortbread Cookies

✔  Gluten free
✔  Egg free
✔  Nightshade free
✔  Pork free
✔  Avocado free
✔  Coconut free
✔  Fish free
✔  Shellfish free
✔  Beef free
Pescatarian
Vegetarian

Nutritional values (per serving, 1 cookie)

Net carbs1.3 grams
Protein2.3 grams
Fat10.5 grams
Calories109 kcal
Calories from carbs 5%, protein 9%, fat 86%
Total carbs2.4 gramsFiber1.1 gramsSugars0.9 gramsSaturated fat3.5 gramsSodium14 mg(1% RDA)Magnesium29 mg(7% RDA)Potassium72 mg(4% EMR)

Ingredients (makes 14 cookies)

Instructions

  1. Prepare all the ingredients. Cut the butter into pieces and let it come to room temperature. In a bowl mix the almond flour with xanthan gum and salt. Classic Keto Shortbread Cookies
  2. Place the butter in a bowl and add the granulated sweetener and vanilla extract. Using an electric mixer (or a stand mixer), process until well combined.
  3. Slowly add the almond flour while beating and process until thick and sticky cookie dough is formed. Classic Keto Shortbread Cookies
  4. Using your hands, form into a big ball. Transfer onto a piece of cling film and form into a log, about 25 cm (10 inch) long, wrapping it all around. Transfer into the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes, or place in the fridge for one or two hours, until firm. Classic Keto Shortbread Cookies
  5. Preheat the oven to 130 °C/ 265 °F (fan assisted), or 150 °C/ 300 °F (conventional). Remove the dough from the freezer and cut into 14 pieces, each about 1 1/2 — 2 cm (1/23/4 inch) thick. Classic Keto Shortbread Cookies
  6. Transfer the cookie slices onto a tray lined with parchment paper. Make sure to leave at least 2 cm (1 inch) between the cookies.
  7. Bake for about 45 minutes, turning the tray (not the cookies as they are fragile) once to ensure even baking. We are baking these on low and slow so the cookies should only be lightly browned. Classic Keto Shortbread Cookies
  8. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool down completely before removing them from the tray. As the cookies cool, they will crisp up even more. Classic Keto Shortbread Cookies
  9. Serve or use just like shortbread cookies. To keep these cookies fresh and crispy, store them at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage freeze for up to 3 months. Classic Keto Shortbread Cookies

Ingredient nutritional breakdown (per serving, 1 cookie)

Net carbsProteinFatCalories
Butter, unsalted, grass-fed
0 g0.1 g4.9 g43 kcal
Erythritol (natural low-carb sweetener)
0.4 g0 g0 g1 kcal
Vanilla extract, sugar-free, alcohol-based
0 g0 g0 g1 kcal
Almond flour (blanched ground almonds, almond meal)
0.9 g2.3 g5.6 g63 kcal
Xanthan gum, thickening agent
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Salt, sea salt
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Total per serving, 1 cookie
1.3 g2.3 g10.5 g109 kcal

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Martina Slajerova
Creator of KetoDietApp.com

Martina Slajerova

I changed the way I ate in 2011, when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. I had no energy, and I found it more and more difficult to maintain a healthy weight.

That’s when I decided to quit sugar, grains, and processed foods, and to start following a whole-foods-based ketogenic approach to food.

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Comments (8)

Made these cookies during the Christmas holidays and very quickly realized that I should have two batches! 😋

That's so great to hear! 😊

I loved , loved these cookies! Will be one of my favorites going forward. I did not use xantham gum but they still held up very well. I also baked them for only 12 minutes until the edges were slightly golden and the centers were still cream and they were soft and lovely even though I am sure they would have been just as great crispy if baked for a longer time.
I also want to try them with some variations such as cardamom powder or with saffron strands to mimic some of the Indian "barfi" sweets. Thank you. I love all your recipes and like the fact that you put the details of the nutritional content per ingredient.

Thank you so much for your lovely feedback! These are amazingly versatile too! I made them with cinnamon, also with chocolate chips and once with lemon zest. Cardamom powder sounds like a delicious addition!
The baking time is a bit tricky to get right, and as I realised from my own experience, every oven is different. We moved houses a couple of years ago and my oven seems to be a bit less predictable now. I end up rotating the sheet 3-4 times instead of just once as it doesn't bake evenly.

These were a winner for the family. I used 1 C almond flour and 1/2C coconut flour (because I had a lot to use up). Will try the next batch with just Almond flour to see the difference. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

Thank you so much for your feedback Nadine! Were they a bit chewy with the coconut flour? I'd be curious to try that.

Hello! Silly question, where the instructions say ''turning once to ensure even baking'' do you mean rotate the cookie sheet, or actually flip each cookie over?  The latter did not work for me as they were too crumbly at this point and broke apart so I stopped after the second one.  Maybe I needed to wait a little longer?  They turned out fine in the end, though.
Thanks for any advice/clarification!

Good point, I can see why it sounds confusing! I'm sorry, it's the tray, I'll edit the post to make sure it's clear 😊